Spinning
by illuminatingthesoul
Summary: A late night accident and it's repercussions remind Gail just what is important in life.
1. Spinning

Hellooo! This fic will turn into something that was requested by a very wonderful reviewer. Although we start out with everything, this is primarily Chris and Gail, mostly Gail. Thanks in advance for reviews and faves and everything!

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"Pick up, pick up, pick up!" Andy cried into her cell phone as a groggy Sam started up the truck. The digital clock read 1:45 AM. '_Fantastic._' He sighed to himself, a little afraid as to what lay in the coming minutes.

"Babe, he's fine. He's probably going to the hospital right now; he probably just can't get to his phone." He cleared his throat and squeezed her thigh gently.

"You don't understand, he always answers. Chris always answers me." She looked up at him with damp and panicked eyes. He pulled up to a stop light and pulled her out of her seat and into the middle one next to him. They'd gotten so used to not wearing belts during patrol; it kind of spilled over into their everyday lives.

But as the truck fishtailed onto a cross street and nearly took out a lamppost, they both realized that it wasn't the brightest idea. After buckling up, Sam kissed Andy's temple as she dialled her phone again and snapped it shut angrily when no one answered.

"Andy, relax." He breathed into her ear, willing her body to settle into his. Her breathing eventually became less ragged and abrasive, but Sam continued to caress the back of her hand with his thumb. Until her phone rang again.

"He – he – hello?" She dropped her phone but still tried to speak as she fished for it on the floor. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Dov. Where are you guys?" He was using his work voice. That in itself made Andy's stomach churn.

"I, I don't know what street. I think we're like fifteen minutes away from Toronto Gen if Sam does the speed limit." She smiled tearfully at her fiancé.

"Oh, Andy, it's okay." He whispered again, holding her a little closer. Whenever someone she cared about was in danger, even if the kind of danger was still unclear to them, she was a child. She sank back into herself and shook violently, often not able to hold anything until whoever it was had made it out of the woods.

"We're gonna be there in like twenty, have you heard what happened?" Dov responded quickly.

"No, Chris hung up before we could find out. All I know is that Gail's hurt. Don't know how badly or what happened, but she's hurt." Her breath began to catch again, her voice growing more desperate. "I don't know how Chris is, I heard EMTs in the background trying to get him to sit down and let them check him out, but he wouldn't. I don't know what that means." She breathed, her hands beginning to shake. It was at this point that Sam took the phone from her and pressed it to his left ear, so she couldn't reach.

"Dov, it's Sam. Andy's going to focus on not passing out right now; we'll be there in like less than ten minutes okay? We'll talk then." He snapped the phone shut.

"Sam! I needed to talk to him!" Andy's voice was raw and desperate.

"Andy, remember that talk we had a few weeks ago? About how sometimes, you don't know best? About how sometimes, you need to trust me to know what's best for you?" He looked between her and the road. "This is one of those times. You need to relax, everything will be okay." He whispered. "I'm serious, Andy. You need to trust me, your fiancé. Because I love you, and I know you better than you know yourself."

"But – " She began.

"No. Now hold onto my arm to make your hands stop shaking, and close your eyes. Just breathe. We'll be there in a few minutes, before you know it." He insisted. Hesitantly, she clasped her arms around his upper arm and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulders.

"Trust." She whispered to herself.

The rest of the ride was short, but silent. Sam thought that he may have gotten through to her, but as soon as he pulled to a stop in the emergency parking lot, she was out, dashing across the asphalt.

"Chris, Chris." She ran to her fellow rookie, who was still refusing treatment inside the sliding doors.

"Hey Andy." He slurred. "Please, stop touching me." He spat at the nurse who was trying to stop the bleeding from the wound on his forehead.

"What happened?" Andy asked the nurse, taking the gauze from her hand and giving Chris a stern look.

"Head on collision." The nurse said quietly.

"What?" Andy's head whipped around and her voice caught the attention of the entire room.

"It wasn't bad, it wasn't." The nurse reassured her. "Low speeds, but enough to lacerate his forehead and knock his wife unconscious."

"My wife." Chris grinned. "I do need to marry her soon." He began swaying lightly.

"Chris, stand up straight." Andy ordered, wiping some of the spilled blood off of his cheek. "How is she?" She turned back to the nurse.

"She's okay, but there was some bleeding. The baby seems to be fine, as far as I know. Not much has been done since they arrived; we're still working on getting doctors." The nurse apologized.

"Don't worry about it." Andy nodded.

"Look, she should be fine. She was running a fever when we brought her in, no ones sure what that means yet." The nurse continued, as the pager on her waist began to beep. "But we're going to find out. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"What about Chris? CanI keep him here? Will the gauze be enough?" Andy asked.

"Yeah. I'll send someone out to check on him in a few minutes, he refused to come into the back anyways." She nodded and made her way out.

"I think that's my fault, isn't it Chris." Andy sighed, as she led Chris to some empty chairs and continued to apply pressure to the wound.

"No it isn't." He sighed. "Is Gail okay? Is the baby?" His breathing sped up as Sam entered the doors behind them.

"Chris," Sam placed a hand on the other man's back. "You are just like Andy. Breathe, please." He walked around and knelt in front of him.

"It's okay, brother." Andy whispered in Chris' ear. Chris' body curled to lean into Andy. She guided his head to the crook of her neck and continued to hold the gauze to his cut.

"Where is she?" Sam asked Andy quietly.

"They've got her back there. Running tests. She was unconscious when they brought her in and there was…" She lowered her voice more. "Bleeding."

"Yep." Sam stood. "You stay out here with Chris, I'm gonna go find her. She's probably terrified, I'll keep you updated okay?" He kissed Andy on the forehead and patted Chris's knee before turning and talking the nurse at the desk into letting him in.

"Where's number eight?" Sam asked a passing doctor. He followed the man's index finger and spotted the stall, nearly running towards it.

There were doctors and nurses buzzing in and around Gail, shouting things at each other that Sam couldn't decipher.

"Is she okay?" He asked, but no one answered. "Is she okay?" He said a little louder, catching their attention.

"Sir, we need you to step back." A nurse said.

"You need to tell me what is going on!" Sam snapped back.

"Are you family?" Someone else asked.

"Yeah, yeah I am." Sam replied without hesitation.

"It was a head on collision at 30 kilometres. She came in unconscious, minor lacerations to the head and arms, we think from bending over her stomach during the accident." A nurse explained.

"Damnit." Sam sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"When we got her in and undressed we noticed a little bleeding. Nothing serious, but enough to be concerned. We're going to do an ultrasound and a few other tests once the dust settles and we can get a machine." Someone else finished.

"Can I stay with her?" Sam asked quietly.

"As long as you don't interfere, you can sit at the back here. Just give us a few minutes." Sam nodded and took a few steps back.

Back in the lobby, Dov and Megan walked through the door.

"Oh my God, Chris, are you okay?" Megan ran over and knelt in front of her friend.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." He shook his head.

"He's refusing treatment." Andy explained, patting at the dried blood on his face with a wet napkin.

"Chris! Why?" Megan tilted his chin up to get a better look at his face.

"He says he's not going back there until he knows Gail's okay." Andy sighed as Chris swatted at her hand, wincing.

"Chris your shoulder is bleeding." Megan said quietly, pulling his shirt apart at the seam to get a better look. "You need stitches. Chris, come on. Let's go."

"No, no." He shook his head.

"Christopher, now." Megan stood up. "You took care of me, now I'm taking care of you. Get up." She took his cracked and bloody hands in hers and drew him to his feet, while Andy and Dov watched in awe.

"He never listens to us like that." Andy said to Dov.

"She's got that effect on people." He smiled up at his girlfriend.

"We're gonna go now, okay? We're gonna go through those doors, you're gonna get treated, and we're gonna find Gail." Megan explained as Chris wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead. "Okay." Megan laughed. Chris took a step back and looked at her very seriously.

"I don't think I'm quite right yet." He said quietly.

"You were never quite right, Chris." Megan grinned and took him back for treatment.

"This is ridiculous. We never should have had this party." Andy sank into her chair, rubbing her eyes.

"It's not your fault, Andy." Dov sat in the seat next to her. "It isn't." She leaned into him and a nurse gave her a disapproving look across the triage desk. "I'm a friend, relax." Dov muttered under his breath.

"What?" Andy ask quietly.

"Nurse Nancy is jealous of the gorgeous man on your arm." He chuckled.

"You are pretty gorgeous, aren't you Dov." She laughed, wiping her eyes.

"I've heard that." He slid his arm around her side and held her tightly, her fingers unconsciously clawing at the fabric of his shirt. "Where's Sam?"

"With Gail." She laughed weakly.

"Really? Another surprise." Dov answered, letting his eyes drift shut.

"I think something happened with them, when I was still with Luke." She sighed.

"Luke." Even saying the name made Dov's skin crawl and his teeth hurt.

"They were kind of embarrassed of each other for a while, then they got over it. Actually, I'm confident that he knew Gail when she was younger. I know he's close with her Mom, believe it or not." She continued.

"Where is he? Luke, I mean." Dov asked.

"Do we have to talk about him? You know as much as I do. Three months, relocated, probation. That's all I heard." Andy said curtly.

"Sorry, Andy." Dov breathed into her hair, holding her free hand with his. He didn't need to say why he was sorry, just that he was.

Sam's figure slumped on the side of her hospital bed made Gail a little uncomfortable. They were a lot closer now, but he was still her superior in almost every way, and not that she'd ever admit it… But he was very intimidating, even to her.

"Sam, sam." She whispered weakly, tapping his shoulder.

"Huh? Hey, sorry, hey Gail." He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "I'm tired, can you tell?" His dimples made her smile as well.

"Where's Chris? Is he okay? Oh my God, Abby, Chris, Chris, where is he?" What started out as a regular conversation quickly had Gail hyperventilating and trying to pull the IV out of her arm.

"Gail, Gail, no. Stop." Sam stood up and held her down by her shoulders. "Gail."

"Chris, is he okay? Am I okay? Where is Chris, where is he?" She whimpered, her eyes looking everywhere except Sam's.

"Listen to me. Gail." His voice was stern. "Gail, listen." She calmed down enough to hear what he was saying. "Chris is fine, the baby is fine. They're doing an ultrasound very soon to make sure, but you're all okay. Everyone. How do you feel?" He found his seat again.

"I feel like my head hurts." She squeaked.

"That would be because you leaned forward before impact to shield your stomach, you crazy woman." Sam chuckled, wiggling her hand in his. "You really are your mother's daughter."

"Oh, what do you know." Gail laughed. "Is Chris here? Don't get me wrong, you're awesome, but I need to see Chris. I just need to touch him," Gail opened and closed her hands unconsciously, "I just have to know he's okay and you aren't lying to me."

"Just a second." Sam smiled at her and went to find the man of her affection. "Hey, Chris Diaz? Came in a while ago after a car accident, minor wounds. Any ideas where I could find him?" He leaned up against the nurses counter.

"Chris Diaz, Gail's husband, right?" The nurse sighed. "Yeah. I know where he is." She got out from behind her desk and led Sam around the corner. "We almost had to sedate him. He really hates hospitals."

"Yeah, don't we all." Sam muttered to himself. "Thanks." He waved off the nurse as she turned to walk away. "Chris." He caught the man's attention.

"Have you talked to Gail?" He sat up straight, being restrained by Megan.

"Yeah, she's asking for you." Sam looked to the small woman latched onto Chris's arms. "Is he okay to go see her?"

"Yeah. They just wanted him to stay back here so he wouldn't go looking." Megan laughed. "Come on."

Sam helped Chris up and walked him back to Gail's stall.

"Oh God, Gail." Chris fell into the chair next to her and grasped her hands tightly in his, kissing her knuckles. "Are you okay?" She nodded, and he turned to look at her stomach. "Are you okay?" Gail began to laugh.

"She's fine." She assured him. "Oh, here." She nodded upwards, prompting Chris to turn and see a nurse wheeling in an ultrasound machine.

"I love these." Chris smiled at Megan and Sam. The woman doing the ultrasound grinned at the young couple as she prepped Gail.

"Jesus! Wow, cold." Gail laughed. "It always surprises me, no matter what." Chris brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her hand again.

"Alright, just let me do some searching here." The woman began moving the small device around on Gail's stomach until she found a good vantage point to see little Abby's face.

"She's so big now." Chris whispered.

"I can't believe it, still." Gail sighed, tears in her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you more, Gail." Chris kissed her on the forehead.

She hadn't realized it at first, but Sam was standing very close to Megan. The only thing that had given it away was the hairs on his arms standing on end and a small smile playing on his lips as he watched Chris and Gail's baby on the monitor.

"Excited?" Megan asked quietly. He just nodded, his eyes never leaving the screen and the smile never leaving his lips. "That's gonna be you, before you know it."

"Couldn't happen soon enough." He whispered back, before lightly grabbing a few of Gail's toes and wiggling her foot back and forth to catch their attention. "We'll be outside, okay?" They nodded, and Sam led Megan back out to the front.

"I'm really excited for this." Gail smiled brightly.

"Me too. I can't wait. Her little feet, can you imagine? Little baby feet, I can't wait to just hold her." Chris watched the screen as the technician grinned and found a good few of Abby's feet. "Look! Look, Gail! Little baby feet." He smiled widely, like a kid in a candy shop.

"Well, the baby looks to be fine. The doctors want to do a few blood tests while you're here, and we're going to admit you for observation tonight. Okay?" The woman stood and wiped the gel off of Gail's stomach.

"Okay." Chris nodded.

"Can he stay? He can stay, right?" Gail sat up, straining her already sore back.

"Slow down, babe." Chris slid his hands underneath her and propped her up.

"I don't think that will be a problem." The woman smiled. "I'll let them know you're ready for your tests, and you'll be up in your room in no time." With that, she pulled back the curtain and left.

"Can I just go tell everyone that you're okay? They're all exhausted, they probably want to go home." Chris asked.

"Yeah, go. Tell them all that I love them, and I feel bad they all had to come out here. Give Sam a kiss on the cheek for me. Or get Andy to." Gail realized she was babbling and began to laugh. "See you in a minute." Chris stole a quick kiss and left.

By the time he got back, her tests were finished and the nurses were in the midst of moving her to her room. He followed them close behind, holding Gail's hand over the rails of the bed whenever he could. The nurses just smiled at the both of them, admiring the ridiculous amount of devotion they were showing without even trying.

"Someone will be in to check on you every few hours. If you need anything else, the call button is just to your left." A nurse explained. "You've got a private room, so no other patients will be bothering you."

"Okay." Gail smiled tiredly, nearly melting into the bed.

"Have a good night." The nurse smiled and left them.

"Well." Chris looked at Gail a minute, before laying down the rails and climbing into bed with her. "That was quite a night."

"I'll say." She breathed, smiling while he laid one hand on her stomach and rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"I love you, Gail. Tonight really scared me." Chris admitted to the darkness left in the room.

"Me too, Chris. It was terrifying." She whispered back, sniffing back a few stray tears. "I never want to feel like that again."He lifted his head and pressed a small tender kiss to the skin below her collarbone.

"Feel like everything is spinning out of control?" He asked quietly.

"We were spinning. The car was definitely spinning at one point." She laughed meekly. "But yeah. We have to be careful. It was a really close call tonight."

"I agree." He fanned his fingers out over her stomach. "We're gonna be fine." He smiled.

"I hope so." She breathed, finally succumbing to the warmth around her and falling asleep.


	2. Hold On

Here's number two! Enjoy :) (keep in mind, my medical knowledge is next to nothing. I winged it.)

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Hold On

"Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz." A nurse crooned, sliding the curtains open and letting the early morning sun peek through.

"We aren't married." Chris said quietly, not moving from his position cradling Gail.

"Yet. We aren't married yet." Gail smiled, her for once bare lips curving into an amused smile.

"Well, you'd might as well be." The nurse giggled. "Can you just sit up for me? I've got to take your vitals and then I'll be out of your hair."

"Can we go back to sleep after?" Chris asked sleepily, sitting up in the bed and stretching before helping Gail into a sitting position.

"I'm so fat." She spoke in a comical, animated tone; one that always made Chris laugh.

"You aren't fat." He chuckled, kissing her on the cheek and lifting a few pillows up behind her.

"It's probably best that you do get a bit more rest. Sometimes it's not the initial accident that hurts the baby, but the stress and panic that happens afterwards." The nurse advised as she pulled out the equipment needed to take Gail's blood pressure. After a few seconds of beeping, she gave an unsatisfied grunt. "You're BP is a little high. I'm just gonna go grab the doctor, I'll find out about those tests we ran yesterday. Or, this morning." The nurse giggled as she left the room.

"Sleep?" Chris asked.

"Sleep." The icy blonde nodded, arching her back in a stretch before leaning back into Chris's chest as he rearranged the pillows and lowered them both onto their backs. "You know what I love?"

"What?" He brushed the hair off of her eyes and ever so lightly, dragged his fingertips down the length of her porcelain skin.

"Sleeping on you." She whispered, tucking her arm around him and nestling her head in the crook of his neck, his a-little-past-5 o'clock shadow tickling her lips.

"I just love you." He whispered, almost inaudibly as his eyes drifted shut again.

Nearly forty five minutes later, a rustling from across the room startled Gail awake, but not enough to make her move from this warm, comfortable pillow otherwise known as Chris.

"I think we can make it a few more weeks." The doctor whispered to a nurse, sliding on some gloves.

"Look, Trevor, she's far enough along." The nurse glanced up to see the figures on the bed stirring, so she pulled the doctor on the arm and led him out of the room. "The baby would be fine. If we leave her too long, it could cause her to have a stillbirth."

"Yeah, Melanie, I'm aware of that. I'm a doctor. And I'm saying, we let her be. We have to get consent and explain everything as it is, so it's really up to her." The doctor snapped back, sighing heavily. "I'm sorry, I think we need to get some coffee and here's a crazy idea, some breakfast. We can come back."

"Good idea. We're no use if we're like this." The nurse flipped her chart shut and Gail listened to their retreating footsteps.

"You heard that too?" Chris whispered.

"Oh my God, what does that mean? They were talking about my pregnancy, oh my God, Abby." Gail's voice was fast and breathy, her fingers slowly curling around Chris's hand with a vice like grip.

"It's okay, Gail." Chris breathed into her ear, ignoring the burning fear he had in his own stomach. "We don't have to worry about anything until they tell us we have a reason to." He pulled the thin blankets up around her and began rubbing her back.

"Okay." She was too exhausted to say anything more. The warmth that came with sleep still enveloped her body, and the thought of throwing back the blankets and getting on with life was appalling.

A few more minutes of silence passed before again, the door opened and a tall, thin doctor accompanied by a nurse entered the room. Gail bit at her lip, silently begging them for just a few more minutes of bliss, inconsistent as it may be.

"Gail?" The nurse's calm voice floated to her ears.

"Yes?" Gail answered, her voice cracking as she blinked back the emotion that plagued her moments ago.

"This is Dr. Morris. We have the results of your tests yesterday, and we'd like to discuss them with you." The nurse opened the curtains wider and helped Gail sit up in bed, even though she just leaned back on Chris once he was up too.

"Well, what's the word, doc?" Chris rubbed his eyes with the palms of both hands and stretched, before resting one hand on Gail's stomach and laying the other on her neck, playing with her hair.

"Well, from the blood and urine tests taken yesterday, there's a few things that stand out." The doctor walked over and sat on the corner of the bed. "Right away we noticed that you have an increased amount of white blood cells, which tells us that your body is in the midst of fighting off an infection."

"Yeah, I think I have a bit of the flu. Nothing bad though." She waved it off.

"That's what we thought. So we'll give you some multivitamins to take, it's all good. Nothing to worry about." The doctor agreed. "However, there were raised protein levels in your urine, and your blood pressure is definitely elevated." It was at this point that the doctor's eyebrows furrowed and a nurse filled two glasses of water and placed them on a side table.

"What does that mean?" Chris sat up, instinctively tightening his hold on Gail.

"Ms. _Peck_," he made sure to use her proper name, "have you been feeling any pain in your stomach? More specifically on the right side?"

"Well, I have been sore, but I just accredited it to the baby, always kicking." Gail explained, squeezing Chris's knee gently.

"And can I see your hands?" She timidly extended her arms, and the doctor tipped her hands from one side to the other and studying them a minute, before releasing them and scribbling on her chart. "Your knuckles and fingers are a little swollen, Ms. Peck."

"Please, call me Gail." She smiled.

"Alright, Gail. Do you know what I've just told you generally adds up to?" His voice was tentative.

"No…" She said quietly, cautiously shaking her head from side to side.

"Ms. Peck, it looks like you have an illness called preeclampsia. Have you heard of it?" Tears flooded her eyes and she retreated into Chris's arms, nodding her head. "You have?"

"My Mom had the same thing. She had full on eclampsia before she was diagnosed, she had one of those seizures." She whispered, wiping her nose and closing her eyes tightly.

"Then you know, Gail, that the only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver the baby." The doctor raised his voice slightly as Gail's sobs became more audible.

"She's too young, I'm only thirty weeks." She shook her head, burying her face in Chris's chest.

"Statistics say that she'd be fine, Gail. If we were to go ahead with a caesarean section, it would be in a few days. We would give you some steroids to promote lung growth and general health for the baby before we deliver her, and then she'd be kept here for a couple of days for observation, maybe even a few weeks, until what would've been term. But she would be okay." The doctor explained as Chris took a sip of his water, before resting his cheek on her forehead and closing his eyes as well. "We could wait, but I'm worried that the disease may progress too quickly and the baby won't get enough nutrients, blood or oxygen. There are pros and cons to any route we choose. But the sooner you can make a decision, the better."

"Can we have a minute, please?" Chris asked weakly, his face drained of colour.

"Of course." The doctor nodded, and led the nurse out.

Chris put their pillows back down, tucked the blankets up around Gail and curled his arms around her while her cries got louder and more frightened. She quieted a few minutes later, her tears trickling down the sides of her face and onto Chris's shirt. He opened his mouth to speak, but she quickly silenced him.

"I don't want to talk." She said. "I just want to be upset for a while."

"That sounds good." Chris whispered back, kissing her forehead softly and prompting a few more tears.

He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, but strangely, he didn't know for sure. Normally he had a gut feeling that was pretty accurate, but whether it was the exhaustion or the tears rolling down his cheeks as well, his gut was nothing if not nauseous and useless.

He was helpless, and he couldn't stand the feeling of hopelessness creeping over his skin, knowing he couldn't step in and save the day. His fiancée's body shook against his, and he fought to keep his composure when she needed it the most.

"Hold on, little baby." He touched Gail's stomach, and she quickly covered his hand with hers. "Just hold on."


	3. Support

Support

The occasional beeping of Gail's heart monitor was the only competition to the sound of her rapid breathing.

"No." She shook her head, her voice still raw from crying. "I don't think we should call yet." She shook her head again, drawing her knees up near her chest.

"I've got twenty four missed calls. I have to. At least let me call Megan, please?" Chris whispered. "I'll be right back." He kissed Gail on the cheek and stepped outside the room, dialling Dov's number.

"Hello?" Dov answered, his voice rough.

"Hey, Dov." Chris breathed, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Chris! What's going on? Are you okay?" Dov's voice instantly dropped, as he stepped outside his bedroom and closed the door behind him, leaving Megan safely tucked in bed.

"Man, I, I don't…" Chris breathed out, realizing just how hard this was going to be. "Dov, Gail is sick."

"What? Chris, are you okay? Is she okay? What's happening?" Dov scrambled to say everything at once.

"Dov," Chris exhaled heavily through his nose. "I'm totally losing it here."

"Talk to me, please, talk to me." Dov responded quickly.

"She has preeclampsia. She could have a _stillbirth _if we don't make the right choice. What? I'm twenty five, I don't get to make these choices. Responsible, mature parents that know what life is about make these choices, not me." Chris's voice cracked as he finally just collapsed onto a bench down the hallway. "I'm, I'm scared." He whispered.

"Chris, don't panic, okay? We'll be there in like ten minutes." Dov spoke quickly.

"No, no, no. Dov, it's okay. I just need to be alone, or with Gail, I don't know." He insisted. "Trust me, I just need her right now. Maybe tomorrow or something."

"No problem, I totally get it." Dov assured him. "Can I get you anything? Anything at all, just say the word."

"Actually, Dov, there is something." Chris cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go for a walk, could you bring us some clothes? We aren't going to be going home anytime soon. And could you bring Megan? She and Gail really get along and I think Gail needs a girl to talk to." A nurse passed him in the hallway and gave him a sympathetic smile when she noticed his soft, swollen eyes and damp cheeks.

"You bet I can. We'll be there in forty five minutes, okay?" Dov affirmed.

"Alright. Just ask the nurse for what room we're in. I've just gotta step out for a second, catch my breath." He decided.

"Alright, no problem. We'll see you in a while, buddy. Hang in there." His friend's voice took on a tone he'd never heard before.

"Thank you, Dov." Chris whispered, snapping his phone shut. He wasn't ready to cry in front of Dov, even on the phone. It's not what men do. "Baby, I've got to go for a walk. I really need to." He explained as he re-entered Gail's room. "I imagine you want to do some thinking as well."

"That's probably a good idea." Gail nodded, sniffing again, wiping her eyes.

"I love you so much." He walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead. "We're gonna be fine." He worried his bottom lip and he felt his entire body begin to shake.

"I know." Gail whispered. Without another word, Chris stood up.

"Please don't talk to the doctors without me, I want to be here for everything. I won't be long." He couldn't look at her.

"I love you, Chris." She whispered, purposely too quiet for him to hear as he left.

Chris promptly ran to his car and began driving. Where, he didn't know. He just had to leave and clear his head, so he when he came back he'd be able to make the right choices. He didn't realize where he was going until he looked up and pressed his foot on the brake, coming to a stop in front of the Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery.

He took a deep breath and got out of his car, the freezing air ravaging his exposed limbs and still tender head wound. He walked through the gates and continued down the path, taking a few random turns before coming to rest on a stone bench. He traced his fingers over the name on the back of the bench and tears came to his eyes.

Furiously wiping them away, he got up and continued on his quest until he found the right headstone. 'Leah Hayes' the stone said to him.

"Penniless and ragged, we are happy." He read out the words that Leah had insisted be engraved on her headstone. "Damnit, Leah." He looked around himself to see if anyone else was out, and was more than relieved when he didn't see another soul. He sat down on the grass and began tracing out each letter, chewing his lip.

There were three red roses lying in a bundle on the ledge of the headstone, their delicate petals shook in the breeze. '_Delicate._' He thought.

"Like the baby." He whispered to the winds, letting his head fall to his hands. "Leah, why couldn't you just have waited?" His voice shook and tears finally began to fall onto his crossed legs, folding his hands together under his chin. "Why couldn't you just have waited for this?" He looked up. "It's not fair, and I'm angry. You always said you'd tell me where to go, but now what?"

He pulled at a small weed growing around the base of the grey rock in front of him, angry at Leah, and the weed, and the grass and the trees.

"It isn't _fair_. You just left. You got the easy way out. I have to stay here and be a man." His jaw clenched as he wiped his cheeks dry with the back of his hand, only to have more tears fall. "I don't want to be a man. I want you to… To come back. And tell me what to do." He whispered, silence filling his ears.

"You _lied _to me, Leah. Why did you lie? You knew I couldn't do this without you, why did you tell me you'd, you'd be here? When you knew all along that you wouldn't." His breathing sped up and he clenched his fists. "I protected you, and you said I could always count on you. What about _now_, Leah? What am I supposed to do _now_?"

"I was there, you know. Every time he hit you or Megan, I knew it. I could always see it. And I remember that one day; I brought you an ice pack that morning, when you ran outside after he passed out. You remember what you said to me?" His voice raised a few octaves as his chest tightened. "You said, 'Chris, go back inside.' And I said, 'why? I want to help you.' And you looked right at me and said, 'Chris, I've already lived. If I get hurt, it's okay. We have to keep you safe so the world can enjoy you as the wonderful man you're growing up to be.' That made me really angry, Leah. You wouldn't let me help you." He choked. "Then, I said, 'we'll all be okay, one day.' I remember it. I felt stupid saying it, until you said 'you're right.'" A small smile touched at his lips. "And I said, 'why? How do you know?' and you shrugged. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 'Because you're Chris Diaz, and you said so.' But you still never let me help you."

"I never understood why, I still don't. When that awful man you married finally left, and I shot out his window, I was aiming for his _head_. Because that's what he deserved. And that's what you deserved. You deserved a life without ever fearing him again. But I wasn't good enough." He cried. "What if I'm not good enough for Gail, or the baby?" He rested his forehead on his hands for a few minutes, letting the wind whip through his hair and turn his fingernails blue. Then, he realized, he wasn't angry anymore.

"I miss you." He whispered. "I miss you more than I ever thought I could miss another human being. You raised me. I loved you. I still love you, even though I'm never going to be able to help you with those brownies you always made. Even though I'll never hear you say my name again. Even though you're dead." His words ripped through his own mind and reality really hit him.

"I wish this was a dream." He whispered. "I'm so sorry for the things I said earlier. I am angry, but not at you. You know that, right?" He shook his head and laughed at himself. "I'm so pathetic. You don't know. You can't hear me. I'm scared, Leah. I'm so scared that I won't be able to fix it all. I want you to come back; I wish you could come back. I wish I'd stayed with you at the hospital, until the very last second. I wish I could have told the doctors, _keep trying._ I'm sorry that I, I'm sorry… I'm just sorry."

He closed his eyes and tried to begin breathing normally, until he felt something on his arm. He looked down to see the card that came with the roses had come loose and been blown onto him. Carefully, he opened the small card and read out the words. '_I love you._" His eyes watered and he whispered back.

"I love you too. I hope you knew that." He hooked the card back on the roses and stood up. "I have to go be a wonderful man now, Leah. Because that's what you taught me to be. Thank you." He touched his fingers to the top of the headstone and all the hairs on his arms stood up. Pulling his hand back, he decided it was a little too cold out and began walking back to his car, still not prepared for anything he was about to face. Still, not ready to make these choices or to be strong enough for his family as a whole, but he was going to try. If not for himself, for Gail, and for Abby, and for Leah. For everyone.

He chuckled as Leah's voice floated around in his head. 'Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others.'

"You lived by too many quotes." He sighed as he threw his car into gear and began the drive back to the hospital, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. What was he going to say to Gail when he got back? How was he going to make her okay? His mind buzzed with everything and nothing, and he decided to leave it to fate. Fate had generally been good to him, he thought. He survived everything it had thrown back at him, taken it all in stride. Why should this be any different?

His footsteps echoed down the hallway as he rushed past the nurses and beds, machines and linen bins lining the walls. He took a deep breath outside of her room, but bit the bullet and reminded himself just what he was. A wonderful man.

"Gail." He started as soon as he got inside the door. She sat up, startled, eyes still red from the countless tears spilled.

"Chris?" He walked to her and knelt beside the bed, taking one of her hands in his and kissing it.

"You already know that I love you." She nodded. "But I know you. And you're scared. So am I, I mean. But you're still scared, you're still wondering if we're going to be able to handle this." Her bottom lip began to quiver. "Every time that doubt creeps in to your mind, that I'm going to leave, or we'll lose her, or anything, Gail, you listen to me right now. You think back to right now."

"Okay." She whispered.

"I can't control this. I can't control anything, I'm just one man. But you can bet all of our lives that I will do everything in my power to make this work. I will never leave you, never. No matter how badly this thing might end up, you'll never spend a second without me by your side. Because I love you, and I love Abby, and because it's what you deserve." She smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "I'm terrified, Gail, I'm so scared." He nodded, still holding her hand. "But I'm here. Forever. And even if that's the only thing I can promise you, just know that it's something. And I'm trying. I'm trying _so _hard, I just want everything to be okay again." He bit his lip as his eyes watered again, at the sight of hers doing the same thing. "We're all going to be okay, one day."

"We are." She nodded back.

"We aren't one of those sob stories, people are never going to pity us or give us those sad smiles, because we're going to beat all of it." He nodded, taking her other hand in his as well. "Because I'm Chris Diaz, and I said so."

"Oh really?" She smiled at him.

"Yes, really." He grinned back at her.

"I'm not leaving either." Her smile disappeared and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I wouldn't dream of it."

A small knock sounded at the door.

"You ready for company?" Chris asked Gail, running the pad of his thumb over her cheek.

"Ready if you are." She whispered. "We're gonna be okay. Let's, let's start now."

He kissed her on the forehead and then on the lips, before going to the door. With one hand on the doorknob, he braced himself for the whirlwind he knew was waiting on the other side.


	4. Making the Right Choice

Making the Right Choice

Dov snapped his phone shut and flipped on the tap in the kitchen, splashing the icy water over his skin and watching small droplets form at the end of his eyelashes. He furiously rubbed his eyes, drawing in a long, jagged breath.

"Dov?" A small voice called from his bedroom. "Is everything okay?" He quickly patted his face dry and steeled himself for breaking the news to Megan.

"Uh, yeah." He replied curtly, picking up his phone again and stalking back down the hallway. He returned to his room, closing the door behind him and crawled back into bed with her. He slid one arm around her and kissed her forehead gently, smiling a little as she nestled closer to him. "Megan, Gail has preeclampsia."

"What?" She asked quietly, not moving. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know. Chris sounded really freaked out." He sighed, hugging her closer.

"Oh, that poor woman. Can we go see them?" She rolled onto her back and traced her finger along his jaw.

"Yeah, we're gonna go pick a few things up for them, we can see them then." He yawned.

"Dov, we have to be there for them. We have to. Someone should keep an eye on their house, and bring them food and everything, we can do that. They don't deserve this." She sighed. The accident the previous night had really shaken her, she hadn't slept much. So now, she was too tired to do anything but whisper.

"You bet we can." He smiled down at her again. "You're amazing, you know that? I'm lucky to have you."

"I think you overestimate me. Come on, let's go." She kissed him once before rolling over and getting out of bed, tying up her hair and brushing her teeth.

"Aren't you hungry? We have time, let's get some food and take showers and everything." He stretched, still in bed.

"I can eat later, right now, Gail and Chris need friends, and fresh clothing. Let's go." She shrugged, pulling on clean clothes and dragging him out the door with her.

It didn't take them long to gather some things for the couple, so they made it to the hospital a short forty minutes later. Megan knocked on the door of Gail's room, and stepped back as she heard footsteps coming towards them. '_Deep breath, girl. Calm, cool and collected._' She breathed as the knob turned and the door swung open, revealing a haggard and devastated looking Chris.

"Oh my God, Chris." She threw her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek and nestling her nose in the crook of his neck. "Are you okay?" Chris began laughing, hugging her back.

"You're like a little puppy, you are." He smiled. "I'm fine. I'm, hangin' in there." He kissed her on the cheek and she finally let go of him. He reached out to shake Dov's hand, but his friend just laughed at him and pulled him in for a hug.

"Stop being so manly, loser." He patted him on the back. "You aren't supposed to be a man all the time." He smiled earnestly at his friend, who let out a resigned laugh. "We come bearing clothes and sweets. Chocolate for you, liquorice for Mama." Dov patted Chris on the shoulder.

"Thanks, man." Chris smiled, before motioning for Megan and Dov to enter the room ahead of him.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Dov said softly as Gail lifted her head and waved at them.

"Morning." Her voice was still gravelly and raw.

"How are you feeling, Gail?" Megan sat in the chair next to the bed, holding the hand Gail extended to her.

"I'm tired, and worried, and a little mad." She smiled weakly. "The usual, really." Megan giggled at Gail's never failing sarcasm.

"We brought you some liquorice and comfy pajamas, and Blistex. You'll need it. The dry air in these hospitals will wreak havoc on your lips." Megan explained, pulling the package of candy out of the bag and handing it to the blonde, who gratefully began devouring it.

"Knock knock." Dr. Morris peeked into the room, smiling at everyone. "Would I be able to speak to Mom and Dad for a minute?"

"Yeah, yeah of course." Dov nodded, patting Chris on the shoulder and kissing Gail on the cheek, waiting for Megan to get up and join him. "We'll be back in fifteen?"

"Perfect." The doctor nodded. "Thanks, guys."

The two smiled and left, closing the door behind them. They hadn't made it more than a few steps down the hall when they heard Gail begin to cry again, a sound that ravaged their heart strings more than either would ever be able to admit. Dov slid his arm around Megan's waist, and they walked, eventually finding their way down to the maternity ward, and the nursery.

"I didn't think they actually had big windows like this." Megan said quietly as they stopped in the hallway, to watch all of the newborns in their hospital issue cribs.

"I never really thought about it." Dov said, completely mesmerized by the innocence and purity that lay out in front of him, still untainted by the world.

"They're so cute." Megan leaned into him, sliding her hand into his back pocket as he held her around the waist.

"You're cute." He grinned, his eyes not leaving the babies. She turned and looked up at him, her eyes smiling as much as her mouth was. A flash went off behind them, and they both turned to see a nurse, holding a large camera in her hands.

"Sorry, but it was a really nice picture." She blushed, clearly not anticipating that they might notice her actions. Megan and Dov chuckled awkwardly, before turning back to the babies.

"Told you, you're cute." Dov whispered.

"I bet she was just taking a picture of you." Megan giggled back. "Look, that one's name is Jenny. I always loved that name."

"Jenny? I didn't know that." He responded.

"Yeah. I don't know why, I just like it. Jenny. It seems so happy and sweet." She stopped listening to the words she was saying, and just closed her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I like the name Ricardo. I think we should get a dog, and name it Ricardo." Dov offered, completely serious.

"I will personally kick your ass if you name our dog Ricardo. And I'll rename it something civilized, like Jermaine." She countered.

"Jermaine? Do you hear yourself?" Dov laughed, waving his fingers at one of the babies, looking up and smiling at him.

"Fine. Can we just call it Spot? Or Puppy? That's what we called Aila ninety percent of the time." Megan watched little Jenny squirm about in her crib.

"I think that could work." Dov grinned down at her. "You think it's been fifteen minutes?"

"Probably not, but let's go back anyway. We can just wait outside." Megan giggled as Dov waved goodbye to the babies on the other side of the glass and steered them back down the halls to Gail's room.

From the far corner, they could see a figure hunched over on a bench on the opposite side of the door. After a few more steps, they realized that it was Chris.

"Chris?" Megan jogged over to him. "Are you okay?" Chris raised his head, but continued to breath rapidly and grind his teeth as he willed his eyes to hold back tears. "Yeah, okay."

"Hey, are you okay?" Dov kneeled next to Megan.

"Babe, I'm gonna take him for a walk. Go sit with Gail." Megan's eyes never left Chris's as she explained. "Stop that." She tapped his jaw. "Clenching is bad for your teeth. Why do men always do that?" She stood up. "Come on." She pulled Chris off of the bench and led him down the hallway, and out through a set of sliding doors to a courtyard. "What happened?" She asked as she sat down across from him in two wicker chairs on the far side of the yard.

"She has to have a C-section, I know it, the doctor knows it, but she won't do it." Chris explained, his hands scrunched into fists and his knuckles white. "If she doesn't, she could get really sick. She could die, okay? My Gail could _die_, but she won't do it."

"Why not?" Megan laid her hands on his knees, the contact instantly relaxing him.

"Because if we do it, we could lose the baby." He answered quietly, before letting his head fall back into his hands and crying. Megan pulled her chair close to his, and pulled his hands away from his face, holding them in hers. "She's killing herself for the baby. She says, that she couldn't lose Abby. Well in her doing this, I could lose both of them." Chris explained, tears cascading down his pale cheeks.

Megan gently reached up and wiped his face dry, before leaning in and resting her forehead on his.

"Chris, sometimes bad things happen to good people." She began. "Gail gets to make that choice, ultimately. You can try to talk her out of it, but if her heart is set on saving that baby, then there is nothing you can do."

"But what if I lose her? I love her, I love her so much. I can't imagine waking up alone, or what if Abby makes it? I'd be a single Dad, Megan. I can't even take care of Gail and I, how am I supposed to take care of Abby?" He rubbed his thumbs over her hands, fidgeting.

"Chris, no one ever said mention you doing anything alone. You don't need to keep carrying the world on your shoulders." She answered quietly. "The bottom line is, that woman loves you. She loves you so much, that she's willing to risk her life to give you that baby. Because she knows just how much you love her, too." Megan's eyelashes tickled the bridge of his nose every time she blinked.

"The world fits pretty nicely on my shoulders." He sighed.

"This will all be fine, Chris. Believe me, it will. These doctors, they're amazing. No matter what happens, everything will be fine." She whispered as she felt a few raindrops on her back.

"I wish your Mom was here." Chris chuckled sadly, tears dripping off of his nose.

"Me too." She smiled back at him. "She'd be telling you the same thing, you know."

"I know." He smiled quietly.

"Oh, Chris." She sighed, resting one hand on the back of his neck. "We're just a mess, aren't we?"

Back in Gail's room, the scene wasn't much different.

"I'm angry, because he won't let me do what I think is right. And it's my choice." Gail cried, furious. "Abby could die if I don't wait."

"Or you could die if you do. How is that any better?" Dov countered from the edge of her bed.

"I don't know." She lied back down in bed and cried into her pillow.

Dov got up and walked around to the side of the bed that had the railing down, and made her sit up. He climbed into the bed with her, leaning against the headboard as she laid her head down on his chest.

"He only wants you to do it because he loves you." Dov reminded her.

"He shouldn't love me, I'm killing his baby." She sobbed, her entire body shaking. Suddenly, out of pure rage, she plunged her fist against Dov's chest.

"Wow, okay, that was my ribcage." Dov recovered, winded.

"I'm killing her!" She cried.

"No, you're not, Gail." Dov ran his hand over her back. "It's too bad that this happened, but you can't turn back now. You just gotta be strong." He whispered.

"You sound like Chris." She whimpered.

"I'm the backup Chris." He answered. "Because the real one is outside with Megan, crying his eyes out. Scared that I'm going to revoke his man card." He chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

"I still don't know what to do." She smiled, but it faded quickly. "The doctor says there's no right answer."

"You know that he's telling the truth, but he's only saying that to cover his ass." Dov sighed. He didn't really know how to make Gail feel better – he was amazed that Megan even listened to half of the things he said. He just rambled on, feeling inadequate.

"Chris wants me to have a C-section." She sighed, finally calming down.

"So have a C-section." He shrugged.

"But Abby could die." She whispered.

"Yeah, and if you wait, you _and_ Abby could die. I could walk out of here and get hit by a bus. Andy's house could be on fire right now. There could be a mass murder going on right this very second, Gail." He began rambling. "It could all be happening. But let's face it. No buses are allowed in the hospital parking lot, so I'm safe. Andy is probably fast asleep in Sam's bed, house free of flames. No worries there. And the mass murderer is probably running around his house wearing a tinfoil hat, being a nut job. Not killing anything, except his relationship with the outside world."

"Do you listen to yourself when you talk, Dov?" She lifted her head and looked up at him through bloodshot eyes.

"Sometimes." He smiled.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." She laughed, laying her head back down. "Should I have the C-section?"

"In my opinion? Yes." He answered. "If you do, yes, Gail, you may lose the baby. It would be a tragedy, but you could always try again. I feel terrible for saying that, but if you wait, you and the baby could die. There isn't another you. Chris would never recover from that."

"I know." She whispered. "But if I died too, then… never mind." She shook her head, and Dov began to chuckle.

"Don't even think about it. Dying is not going to get you out of this situation, Gail. I would never forgive you, and Chris would never forgive himself." Dov recognized right away what she had in mind, only because he'd felt the same way months before. It wouldn't be that bad, if he died. No one would really mind. Too bad, so sad. He pursed his lips and shook his head, completely and utterly ashamed of himself.

"But – " She began.

"No, Gail. If you're not going to do it for yourself, do it for the people who love you, and your child." He said firmly.

"Dov?" She looked up at him again.

"Yes?"

"Megan is a lucky girl." She smiled at him, but then smacked him in the back of the head. "But you have to stop being right."

"I'm right?"

"Yes, you're right. I guess I have to have this baby, and soon." She breathed. "I've never had surgery before. Is it scary?"

"I wouldn't know, Gail. I've never had it either." He chuckled.

"Ew, I'm gonna have a scar. I won't be able to wear two piece bathing suits anymore." She groaned.

"Whatever, Gail. If I remember correctly, you have a pretty hot bod. You did in the Academy, at least." He shrugged, laughing.

"You got me drunk on one of our only nights off. That was the worst night ever." She laughed, swatting him on the chest. "And my body is a lot different now, Dov. Stretch marks galore." She sighed.

"Again, last time I checked, you're still a pretty hot pregnant lady. Don't worry about it." He laughed.

"How have I let you live this long?" She cried out, laughing.

"Did we miss something?" The door opened, Megan leaned in.

"Just me being, awesome." Dov helped Gail upright and got out of her bed, walking over to Megan. After them, Chris quietly walked back into the room, colour returned to his face but his red eyes still outshining his pink cheeks.

"I want you to have the C-section."

"I want to have the C-section." They both spoke at the same time, and then paused.

"What?" They asked each other. "You go first." Again, in unison.

"That was weird." Dov said quietly, as Chris and Gail burst out laughing.

"I love you, Gail." Chris grinned like a mad man, sitting down on the edge of Gail's bed. "You're going to do it?" She nodded. "Thank you." He whispered, kissing her softly.

"Well, let's get the doc in here. He's got some cutting to do. Or, his surgeon buddy, more like it." She smiled as best she could. "Did you pack any lipstick, by chance? I miss my lipstick." She looked at Megan.

"Candy Apple Red and Icy Mauve." Megan recited the names of the tubes she'd grabbed.

"Yes! My favourites. Thanks, guys." She smiled at her friends, who surprised her more and more each day. "I love you two."

"Love you too, Gail. We've gotta get going." Dov explained, his arm around Megan's waist.

"Okay." She replied sadly.

"Could you call Andy and tell her for me, please? I'm so tired." Chris breathed, rubbing his hands over his face.

"You bet." Megan smiled. "See you guys later. Keep us updated, please."

"I'll do my best." Chris smiled, before walking over to hug Megan and shake Dov's hand.

"I'll come visit tomorrow, if I can get off early or during my lunch or something." Dov offered.

"And you guys can just call me if you ever need anything." Megan added.

"Thank you both, so much." Gail said.

They smiled and left the room.

"I've got this great idea, where you get your ass in bed and we sleep for a while." Gail scooted over, patting the bed beside her. "We can still make it go away for a little longer."

"I like the way you think, Gail." He climbed into bed with her, and kissed her like he meant it. She found his hand and held it tightly, grinning at how well they fit together. "This will all be over soon enough."


	5. Something Bigger

So, something that they thought would be a simple check up after a minor car accident, turns into something a little more serious. This one is more about Chris and his difficulty trying to stay strong and be brave throughout this ordeal.

Thanks for all comments and alerts!

* * *

Something Bigger

"Well, how soon is this going to happen?" Gail asked, swallowing even though her mouth felt like sandpaper and her voice showed it.

"I can book an operating room as soon as tomorrow morning. Does that sound good?" Dr. Morris stood at the foot of her bed with a nurse and a surgeon.

"I guess. Would it be better to wait a few days?" Chris interjected.

"Technically, a few days probably wouldn't hurt. However, there is a very real possibility that your blood pressure could sky rocket very soon, and it could just bring on a world of new complications. I'd feel safer doing it now." The doctor reaffirmed.

"Well, I guess that's what we'll do then." Gail sighed, looking back up at Chris.

"Mrs. Diaz, I mean, Gail," the nurse began, "I know you're worried, but little Abby will be in great hands. We've got classes and tons of literature on how having a C-section will affect you and the baby." She smiled.

"Thanks." Gail smiled. "I can't wait for this to be all over."

"I don't blame you, honey." The nurse patted Gail's hand. "Soon enough."

"We'll be back in later on to explain how the procedure will work, and to start prepping you for the surgery. Try to get some sleep." The surgeon smiled demurely, a woman of not more than thirty five with a petite stature.

"That won't be difficult." Chris smiled, pulling the blankets up. The doctors and nurse smiled and filed out.

"Jesus Christ!" Gail pressed her back into the bed, holding her stomach in pain.

"Gail? Gail?" Chris jumped out of bed and began pressing the nurse call button over and over again.

"What happened?" The doctor reappeared.

"I don't know!" Chris held Gail's hand as she cried.

"Where?" The doctor locked eyes with Gail.

"H – here." She pointed to the right side of her stomach.

"Melanie, get me an OR." The surgeon barked out.

"Get the anaesthesiologist here, this has to happen now." The doctor decided, pulling his stethoscope off of his neck and checking Gail's breathing and vitals.

"Tell my Mom." Gail croaked.

"She doesn't know?" Chris whispered to himself in horror. He did not want to have to explain this to the all-mighty Jackie Peck. "Alright, don't worry, baby. I'm right here, right next to you." She nodded as tears flooded her eyes and her stomach pain took hold again.

"Do something!" Chris called out, digging his nails into the palm of his own hand from clenching his fist so tightly.

"We can't give her anything yet, but she'll be out in no time." The doctor stepped back as a few nurses entered and began preparing Gail's bed for transport.

"No, no, it's okay. It's gone, it's going away, its okay." Gail choked, sweat dripping from her forehead.

"We're still doing the surgery now, Ms. Peck." The doctor pressed the button for the elevator. "Chris, you can come with us down to the surgical floor with us but we'll have to stop you there."

"Okay." Chris didn't even look at the doctor, his eyes stayed fixed on Gail's, who was looking right back up at him. He held her hand and stood next to her bed, watching her small tears trickling down the edge of her eyes. His heart wrenched and nearly twisted itself out of his chest, but he was strong for her.

"Just promise me one thing." She whispered to him.

"You're going to be fine." He told her, reassuring himself as well.

"I know, Chris. You didn't let me finish." She smiled.

"Okay, I promise. Anything." He nodded at her, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Promise you won't laugh at whatever scar I leave with, no matter how disgusting I am." Her face turned serious, and her eyes began to water again.

"You're insane." Chris chuckled, kissing her on the forehead as the elevator doors dinged and opened. "I'll be here when you're done, okay?"

"I don't even get to be awake for it." She sighed. "And we won't even get to hold her right away." She tightened her grip on his hand. "I'm so sorry that this happened to us, Chris."

"Gail, listen to me. As long as I have you and I have our baby, I don't care what else happens. It's just us." He smiled.

"The surgery is going to take about fifty minutes. If we can and Abby is stable and healthy enough, you might be able to come in and carry her to the nursery. If it looks that way, we'll be out in about fifteen to get you in scrubs." The surgeon explained, pulling the bed out of the elevator.

"I love you." He called after her.

"I love you more." He heard her answer fearfully. He followed them out into the hallway and watched as they pushed her bed through the doors and wheeled her around the corner, the doors swinging shut behind them.

"Oh my God." He whispered to himself, not moving from his position in the middle of the hallway. The walls lost their colour as did his face, and he somehow got lost in time.

"Sir? Your phone is ringing." He heard a woman say, his vision and hearing slowly coming back into focus. "Sir?"

"Sorry." Chris shook his head and glanced at the clock. '_Huh._' He thought. '_It's only been ten minutes._' It felt like he'd stood there for years, unable to move. He flipped open his phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Andy. How are you? Dov told me what's happened." Her voice was choppy and tearful.

"They just took her into surgery." He said monotonously.

"What?" Andy's voice screamed through the phone. "We'll be there in ten minutes. Five minutes. We left yesterday."

"Tell Dov and Traci please. And, call Jackie. Please." He managed to lift his feet off of the floor and drag them to the chairs along the wall.

"Got it. See you in a few." Andy affirmed. "Sam, let's go!" She yelled, snapping her phone shut.

Chris fell into a seat and closed his eyes, rubbing his hands over his face. Again, he let the world fade to nothing and his entire body felt numb. He'd never felt so betrayed by reality and terrified in his life, but he knew just how lucky they were.

The next thing to shock him out of his slowly disintegrating consciousness was Andy's shriek as she fell backwards into Sam.

"Damnit. Clumsy." She cursed herself as she caught her breath, pressing her hand to her chest. "Chris, how are you? When did they go in? Tell me, everything." She held Sam's hand and led him over to sit next to her.

"That was the hardest thing I have ever had to do." He looked up at her with red, bloodshot eyes. So much so, that Sam flinched. This rookie, he thought, was absolutely unbreakable. He'd always thought that Chris Diaz was one that was incapable of feeling sad or conflicted – the ultimate cop. Not that he'd ever tell him that, of course.

"What was, honey?" Andy laid her hand down on his knee.

"When they pushed her bed through those doors." He looked down to the end of the hall. "They just took her away. I can't save her if something goes wrong." He whispered.

"Chris, these surgeries are done thousands of times every day in this country. She will be fine." Sam leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"He's right." Andy agreed. "Nothing to worry about. Oh, Dov wanted to come. But Megan told him that you probably just wanted some space, with all of this going on. He decided they're going to come mob you and the new baby in a few days." She smiled. "Traci and Jerry said the same."

"She knows me better than I know me." He laughed.

"It'll all be okay." Sam whispered. Chris opened his mouth to answer, but jumped to his feet as a nurse came through the doors.

"Chris Diaz?" He ran to her. "The surgery is going well. Your baby is obviously premature, but healthy as far as we can tell. Would you like to take her to the nursery? The doctors are probably delivering her as we speak." The nurse's smile grew as she saw pure relief and joy wash over Chris's face.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." He nodded frantically, and Andy and Sam came to stand next to him. "I get to carry Abby to the nursery!" He whispered.

"Come with me, we'll get you scrubbed up." The nurse grinned, and held the doors open for him. "The intensive care nursery is at the other end of the hall, so if you two stand here, as long as you aren't in anyone's way, you can see her through the glass." She smiled.

"We'll be right here." Andy smiled. "Go!" She pushed Chris through the doors. The nurse led him down the hall and around the corner. It took him all of fifteen seconds to slide into gloves and a cap, as the nurse tied on a smock.

"Chris, seeing your wife the way she is right now is going to be a little jarring. This is a surgery, so you'll have to wear a mask." She walked behind him and tied a mask on for him. "If you feel queasy or shaky, we can come right back out here." Chris nodded. "Are you ready to meet your baby girl?"

Chris opened and closed his mouth, but when no sound came out, he just nodded.

"Alright." The nurse led him around one more corner and shouldered her way through the doors.

"Here's the new Dad!" Dr. Morris called out. "She's right over here." Chris's hands began to quiver and his stomach did flips. He tried not to look, but his eyes wandered over to the operating table where his fiancée was currently lying, stomach wide open.

"It's okay, Chris. That's what happens in these surgeries." The familiar nurse, Melanie, whispered to him. "Come on." Gently, she placed a hand on his back and led him to the small table where his baby was still laying on the scale. His eyes widened and every ounce of breath he had in him escaped his lungs.

"Do you feel steady enough to hold her?" The doctor asked. Chris didn't hear him. Slowly, carefully, he reached out and ran his thumb over his baby girl's foot. She squirmed and squeaked, kicking her legs as best she could.

"Abigail. Abby. Baby." He stuttered. "Happy." He began to smile, and then cry. Melanie picked Abby up and held her out for Chris. He obediently held his hands out, making sure to support her head and neck as he held her for the first time, cradling her in his arms. "I don't know you very well yet, but I love you already." He whispered to her.

"I'll take him down to the nursery." Melanie volunteered. "Chris? Let's get her hooked up to her monitors, we've got to make sure that her heart and lungs are fully developed. Let's go." She placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him to the door, essentially leading him back down the hall. He didn't even look up. He just looked down at his child and smiled like a madman. "You want to show your friends?" He nodded, but just focused on holding her steady and not tripping over his own feet. Melanie walked him to the door and turned him to face his friends.

"Oh my God!" Andy gasped, her eyes instantly flooding. Sam's face lit up and his arms found their way around Andy's waist, hugging her tightly. "Chris, she's so beautiful." She whimpered.

"She is beautiful." He said quietly, not even loud enough for them to hear. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet Andy's, his eyes squinted from the huge smile on his face.

"Come on, let's get her in her crib." Melanie touched Chris's arm.

"Okay." His eyes travelled back down to Abby, who had stopped crying and was now sleeping in his arms. "She's so small."

"Babies are pretty small. But she's also premature. So, very tiny." The nurse smiled. There were hard days, many hard days, working at Toronto General. But seeing new parents just like Chris, so full of joy and amazement made her job worth it. "Good." She smiled as Chris laid the baby down in her see through observation crib. Melanie attached a few electrodes and gave her a little heat before stepping back and looking at the small being. "She really is beautiful."

"She looks like Gail." He smiled at Abby's blonde hair and foggy blue eyes. What little hair she had was true blonde, not lighting white like Gail's, but the eyes sealed the deal.

"She does. That's a little strange, babies usually strongly resemble their father in the first few years of life." Melanie pursed her lips. "I think you've got a spitting image of your wife, I mean, fiancée, on your hands."

"It's like a movie. I feel like I'm in a movie." Chris smiled.

"It is a little surreal at first." Melanie grinned. "Just wait until its sleepless nights and craziness that you have on your hands. Yikes, that's a whole other story." She chuckled as Chris bent over Abby's crib, smiling from ear to ear.

"I can't wait." He whispered, marvelling at Abby's fingers, fingernails, but most of all, her nose. "This doesn't even make any sense."

"What doesn't?" Melanie asked, leaning down to watch the baby as well.

"When this all started, Gail wasn't even sure she wanted the baby. She took the test, and we couldn't even look at it for like an hour. I fell asleep. That's how long we just left it face down on the table." He smiled. "Then today, yesterday, she just decided to risk killing herself to save Abby." His voice softened as he spoke her name. As the crib and the surrounding room warmed, Abby stopped squeaking and crying, and she just lied there. Being so young, she couldn't do much of anything.

"How are you, cutie?" Melanie cooed. Abby squeaked up at the two figures leaning over her.

"I thought that I loved my Dad and…" He swallowed. "My Mom as much as I could love anyone, ever." Melanie knew where this was going. "But this baby?"

"You love her more?" She asked.

"No. I don't even love her. There has to be something stronger than love. Like, I know people say that love is everything, and love is, love. But I love her so much that it's not even love anymore. It's bigger than that." He explained, his eyes travelling the lengths of her dark veins that contrasted through her light skin.

"I know." Melanie whispered. "I've got one of my own. It's like, they're the only one in the world. No one else matters."

"Exactly. Well, her and Gail." Chris bit on his lip, unnoticed through his mask. "I _love_ Gail. There my top two. By far."

"Yeah. Well, my little guy's Dad isn't around. I just like to think that Steven gets all the love that I had for both of them." She smiled sadly.

"He's a lucky kid." Chris looked over at her.

"So is Abby." Melanie whispered back. "And Gail." A moment of silence enfolded them. "I know you're nervous, you two are both cops, right?" Chris nodded. "It's gonna be really scary, just raising her and trying to do everything right. I know it's going to be even scarier, trying to save the world at the same time."

"I didn't think of that." He admitted. "You're right."

"I have been doing this job for almost fifteen years now. I can read people the second they walk into this hospital. I've seen teen mothers, completely alone in the world, but I can tell – they'll be fine. And then they are. I've seen forty something cancer patients, that were diagnosed months into their pregnancy. And they are _terrified_, but I always know which ones are gonna have enough power to push through." She turned to face him. "People beat the odds every single day. There is no reason that you can't be one of those people, and live a long, healthy life with your wife and child."

"Do you think we'll make it?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah." Melanie whispered. "I do."


	6. Looking Up

Looking Up

"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you." Megan rested her head on the back of the chair she was seated in, next to Abby's crib. "And everything you do."

The rarely empty intensive care nursery was still around them, as was the world outside. Chris slept in the reclining chair next to Gail's hospital bed – she still hadn't woken up.

"Yeah they were all, yellow." She sang quietly, watching the two day old infant begin to open her eyes. Her heart and lungs were healthy; she was delivered at exactly the right time. Her mother, however, had reacted badly to the anaesthetic, a growing trend at Toronto General. For two days now, Megan, Dov, Andy and Sam and taken shifts sitting with the baby. Chris didn't want her to be alone, but he couldn't ever force himself to leave Gail, even just for a minute. He wanted to be there when she woke up.

"I came along, I wrote a song for you; and all the things you do." She traced her fingers along the edge of the Plexiglas crib, letting her eyes drift closed for the thousandth time that night. At almost three in the morning, the halls were quiet. Most lights were off, and the sound of the pouring rain outside just aided the opposing side in her battle to stay awake.

"And it was called, yellow." Abby squeaked again, moving her arms around like newborns do. "So then I took my time, oh what a thing to have done." Her soft voice echoed throughout the room, the only other noise being Abby's monitors. "And it was all yellow." Megan jerked her eyes back open and sat forward, refusing to let her exhaustion win. You'd think she was the new mother, with the lack of sleep she'd been getting. Dov thought she was crazy, but loved her for it. 'You have to take a break sometime.' He told her as she volunteered for her third consecutive eight hour shift at the baby's side. 'You need to take care of yourself, too.' She smiled at how concerned he was. 'And I will, when everyone is okay.' She'd responded sleepily.

"Your skin, oh yeah your skin and bones, turn into something beautiful." She reached into Abby's crib and let the baby try to hold onto her index finger. Abby, ten weeks premature, had already found her way into each and every heart that had found their way into her room. They all said the same thing – she looked just like Gail.

"D'you know? You know I love you so, you know I love you so." She smiled, her perfectly tuned voice carrying every note effortlessly. She checked her phone again, the clock read three ten. She leaned back again and let her mind travel the halls of the hospital. She knew where Chris was; bent up in an uncomfortable position trying to keep warm in Gail's freezing room and sleep in between hourly vital checks.

"You know I love you so, much." She continued to sing, almost inaudibly, as she heard the door open behind her. "Your skin, oh yeah your skin and bones, turn into something beautiful." Footsteps approached slowly towards her chair, but she didn't turn or open her eyes. "D'you know? For you I bleed myself dry." A hand touched her shoulder, but she still didn't look. "For you I bleed myself dry."

"You know I love you so much." Dov sang quietly, kneeling down next to her chair.

"Those aren't the right words." Megan pried her eyes open and raised one eyebrow.

"I think they're pretty fitting." He smiled, leaning in for a kiss. "You need to let someone else take over now."

"But we're bonding." She smiled at Abby. "Look, she likes my fingers." She wiggled her fingers a little, and Abby continued to grab blindly at them.

"You've been awake for a day and a half. I will have you removed from the hospital if you don't leave with me now." He looked at her sternly, his hair falling in his eyes.

"What are you gonna do, call security? I'm too tired to walk anyways." She grinned at him, running her thumb over the back of his hand.

"That won't be a problem. I can do you one better than security." He smiled deviously, before walking to the door and leaning into the hall. "Paging Sam the enforcer." He said quietly. A weary laugh sounded from the hall, as Sam got out of his chair and walked into the nursery.

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." Sam stood with his hands on his hips and one eyebrow raised. He smiled, a cocky tone in his voice.

"I'm not scared of you." Megan yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"Or we can do it this way." Sam's dimples made her smile as he walked over and pulled her chair away from the crib and slid his hands around her, lifting her into his arms.

"Fff – I had no part in this, Dov." She muttered, waving one hand before letting it fall onto her stomach and letting her head rest on Sam's shoulder.

"Where do you want her? The car?" Sam asked Dov, an amused smile on his face.

"If you wouldn't mind. I'd carry her myself, but she'd hit me. She won't hit you." Dov laughed. "I'll see you later." He kissed Andy on the cheek as she said good night and entered Abby's nursery, taking on her shift.

"Yes, I will." She whispered, lifting one hand and swatting weakly at Sam's jaw and neck, her eyes closed, before sneezing. "You smell like pine needles."

"Why thank you." Sam chuckled, stepping into the elevator ahead of Dov.

"I'm allergic to pine." She added.

"I'll let that one slide, but only because you're obviously not in your right mind. Otherwise, you'd realize how scary I am. Just ask your boyfriend." Sam laughed.

"It's the death glare that always got me." Dov shrugged. Megan yawned something indecipherable, arching her back a little as she stretched, making it hard for Sam to keep a good grip on her.

"Settle down there, tiger." He chuckled.

"Roar." She murmured as Dov opened the car door and Sam gently placed her in the passenger seat, before Dov leaned back in to buckle her seat belt. "Night Sammy." She whispered, letting her head fall back on the head rest and folding her legs across the seat.

"Sammy." He groaned. "Awesome. Love that."

"I'll keep that in mind, _Sammy_." Dov grinned, still looking at Megan. When he finally pulled his eyes away they were met by Sam's classic death glare. "Never mind, no I won't." A smile tugged at one edge of Sam's lip.

"Night, kid." Sam clapped him on the back. "I'll call you if anything changes."

"Thanks. Night." Dov called over his shoulder as he rounded the car pausing in front of the open driver's door to chuckle as he heard Megan sneeze again. "You know I love you so much."

"Get in the car, Dov." She groaned.

"Your wish is my command." He laughed, climbing into the car. He fired up the engine as Megan leaned across the low console between the seats to rest her head in Dov's lap.

"Poor Chris." She whispered to the rain as he pulled away from the curb. "I've never seen him so stressed out."

"I can't believe that Gail is still out." Dov shook his head. "Wait, why are we going home? I don't want to go home."

"Me either! I'm only here because Sam carried me." She laughed as Dov found a break in the median and threw the wheel to the left, doing a u-turn and gunning it back in the direction of the hospital. "Good call." Megan smiled.

"I thought so." He answered.

"Damnit." Chris cursed as he extended his leg out from underneath the blanket. He'd been fighting with it all night, desperately trying to keep warm. The nurses had been preoccupied with the nights' hectic events; he didn't want to bother them with something as miniscule as a blanket.

Gail exhaled, and he sat up, ears attuned to any changes in her condition. The steady beeping of her machine told him that everything was as it was two minutes ago, two hours ago, two days ago. After thirty seconds of silence and no movement, he rubbed his hands over his face and got up, walking to the bathroom in Gail's room and splashing water over his face.

She listened to his footsteps cross the room, heard the click of the light switch and opened one eye just a crack when the bathroom door closed. Awake. She opened her other eye, exhaling. He hadn't left her side since the surgery, and she knew it. His hair was scruffy, he hadn't shaved, and it was kind of… sexy.

"Stop it, Gail." She mouthed to herself as the door opened and she closed her eyes again. Why was she even doing this? It had been close to a half hour since she woke up. But for some reason, she just kept her eyes closed and took this opportunity to let the fog currently immersing her brain clear. She felt Chris take her hand in his, and it took all of her self control to keep herself from squeezing it right back and forcing him to get into bed with her.

His breathing evened out, but his hand never left hers. It was only then that she allowed herself to open both eyes again, and just watch the rain. She was terrified, truth be told. Her head was still incapable of forming any comprehensible thoughts, but she was alert enough to know that something was wrong. Why else would she be here? Why else would she have this stabbing pain in her stomach? Her stomach…

Gail's free hand carefully and timidly moved to her stomach, which was undeniably flat. That's why she was here.

"Chris? Chris? Chris, Chris, Chris!" She tried to speak, but it took a few attempts for her dry throat to allow any sound.

"Yeah?" He asked sleepily, not lifting his head. She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Gail?" His head shot up. "You're awake! You're alive, you're okay." He dropped his head back down to her bed and began laughing, just trying to keep himself from crying. "Oh my God, oh my God, you're okay." He kissed her knuckles repeatedly, overjoyed.

"Stop it! Where's my baby? Where is Abigail? Abby?" She asked, coughing and trying to speak through her trickling tears of joy.

"She's right down the hallway, well, down one floor. But over there." He pointed to his left. "I know the whole hospital inside and out now." He laughed. "I have to call a doctor. Hold on." He reached for the call button next to her bed, but the button was jammed. After a few frantic attempts, he leapt from his chair and jogged to the hallway. "Melanie!" He called to the nurse's station. The petite woman's head shot up from its resting place on her folded arms. "Gail's awake!" He laughed, before darting back into the room and kissing her again.

"Slow down, baby. Relax." Gail giggled, tapping his shoulders. He lifted his head to look at her. "Get up here." She tried to scoot over in her bed, but ended up letting Chris move her before he climbed in himself.

"I love you, Gail. Did you know that?" He kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you too." She whispered.

"You need water." Chris got up and fetched her a glass from the bathroom. She smiled gratefully and took a sip, its soothing effects mending her coarse voice. "Okay. Abby, is great. She's healthy for a premature baby; Megan hasn't left her side in a day, straight. Everyone loves her, Gail. She looks…" He smiled and shook his head. "She looks just like you."

"Really?" Gail's heart jumped into her throat. They'd thought about it, sure, but now, she really got to see her baby and decide herself who she looked like. "I can't wait to meet her."

"I'm sure that as soon as they check you out, we can go down there and see her." Chris grinned. "I haven't seen her much, actually. It'll be nice."

"Why haven't you?" She raised one eyebrow, taking another sip of her water.

"I've been here." He admitted sheepishly. "You're still my number one concern." He looked down at his hands and his temporary white gold wedding band. Gail had insisted on getting him a titanium ring, but he managed to get her to put it off. He didn't need that, he just needed her.

"Oh, Chris. I'm so happy that I woke up." She laughed, reaching out and clutching one of his hands. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when the door opened and Dr. Morris practically skipped in, with Melanie on his tail.

"Good morning, Ms. Peck!" He smiled. "Glad to see you could join us."

"You're funny." She laughed as Melanie moved from side to side of the bed, checking vitals and her incision.

"Everything looks good here, doc." She smiled. "I knew it!" She winked at Chris.

"Well, Gail, we are going to have to do a more in depth investigation as to why you reacted so poorly with the drugs, but right now, I know that there's someone you want to meet." He grinned, raising one eyebrow, and then chuckling as Gail began nodding her head frantically. "Let's find this woman a wheelchair!" He led the way out of the room.

"Excited?" Chris asked her.

"You have _no_ idea." She smiled up at him, the clarity and emotion in her eyes enough to give him goose bumps.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Dr. Morris grinned as they re-entered the room.

"Alright, doctor, I'll take her down there, but then you and I are going to downsize your coffee stash in your office." Melanie whispered to him.

"Fine. Gail! Your chariot awaits." He stepped forward to help Chris help Gail into her chair. When all was said and done, Gail had realized that it was going to be a long recovery process.

Chris pushed Gail out into the hall and towards the elevator; practically vibrating he was so excited. When they reached the maternity floor, he didn't notice Dov and Megan standing a few feet away, and hushing each other in unison as they quietly followed them down the hall to watch Gail's reaction.

"Come here!" Megan whispered, beckoning Sam and Andy from the chairs at the other end of the hall. They got up and jogged over, taking their places next to them in front of the windows.

"Well, Gail, are you ready?" Melanie asked. "Motherhood starts now."

"Oh my God, I'm a Mom. Holy shit." She laughed under her breath as Chris pushed her to the side of Abby's crib. He looked down to see Gail, with her eyes closed.

"Look." He tapped her shoulder. "Look at our baby."

"I can't yet." She breathed. "What if I'm bad at this?"

"Nope, nope!" Melanie laughed. "Chris and I already discussed this. You two are going to be great. Now look at your little angel!" She cooed, smiling down at baby Abby. Slowly, Gail opened her eyes and settled them upon the tiny frame of her child, squirming and squeaking in her crib at all of the commotion.

"Eh – I, heh," She began to speak, but failed with every attempt. Tears returned to her eyes and every hair on her body stood on end, as her breathing sped up. She squeezed Chris's hand tightly, prompting him to kneel down next to her.

"I know." He shrugged. "I know exactly how you feel." She looked over at him, opened and closed her mouth a few times, before just crying and letting him fold his arms around her. Chris smiled at the contact, at the whole situation, really. But it was the warmth of her skin against his that really shocked him awake. For two days, he hadn't known if he would ever feel that again.

"Can I h – hold her?" Gail whispered, looking up at the doctor.

"Of course you can." He smiled graciously, as Melanie fetched a few blankets and very carefully wrapped Abby up and lifted her out of her crib and into Gail's arms.

"She's so perfect." Gail whispered as Abby began to cry. "Sh, sh." Gail smiled at the baby, and began to cry again as Abby opened her eyes as wide as she could and Gail saw the same piercing blue that she saw every morning when she looked in the mirror. "I love you, little baby." Chris laughed as Abby settled and returned to her usual quiet routine. Gail ducked her head down to kiss Abby gently on the nose, and grinned again as the baby managed to lift an arm up to touch her mother's face.

"She won't have the same control over her body as babies that were carried to term for a little while, but she'll get there." Melanie told Chris as Gail kissed Abby's fingers, still suspended next to her face.

The rain continued to pour outside, but Gail didn't care. She looked up to see her closest friends, watching from the windows, with tears in their eyes; the women, at least. Megan sniffed and wiped her eyes as Dov kissed her temple, before turning back to watch the life changing scene unfolding in front of them with a huge smile on his face. Andy cried into Sam's shoulder, while he just watched in awe.

"Chris, we need a middle name." Gail laughed.

"I have one in mind." He whispered.

"And that would be?" She didn't look away from her baby.

"Leah." He whispered. "Abigail Leah Diaz."

"It's perfect. I love it." She looked up at him and placed her palm gently on his cheek, smiling as he closed his eyes and practically melted into her touch.

"Gail, we do need to get you back to your room soon. We have to make sure you're intact." Dr. Morris broke into their little world.

"You're right." Gail sighed, kissing Abby one more time and letting Chris do the same before giving her back to Melanie. "I'll be back very soon little baby." She cooed.

Chris pushed her back out into the hallway, where she was greeted by a wave of hugs and kisses.

"Gail, she is so, so beauti - .." Megan began but nearly fell asleep where she stood.

"Get her home." Chris laughed, as Dov sighed and nodded, sliding one arm around Megan's waist.

"Paging Sam the enf – " He called out, but Sam interrupted him.

"I know, I know." He picked Megan up and laughter filled the hallway as she sneezed and pointed out the pine scent of his clothes again. "One day, she will realize how scary I am."

"Oh, you're just a big puppy dog, Sam." Gail laughed. "Thank you guys, for all being here. It means a lot to me." She looked up at Chris. "To us."

"That's because you two, mean a lot to us." Andy smiled.

"Well, I think its bed time for all of us." Dov yawned.

"I second that." Gail yawned.

"Night, everyone." Sam smiled at Gail and Chris. "I'd give you a kiss, but there appears to be a small woman sleeping in my arms."

"I'm not small, and I'm not sleeping!" Megan laughed.

"We'll see you guys later. I'll be back up in a bit." Sam looked at Andy. She nodded and smiled, waving them off.

"I'll be in the nursery." She said to Chris.

"Thanks, sis." He smiled at her and kissed Megan on the cheek as Sam carried her by. "Well, back to your room?" He asked Gail, earning a weary nod in response.

He brought her back, got her settled in bed and after the doctor and nurses checked her out, he climbed back into his recliner and held her hand over the edge of the bed.

"This has been so insane. I don't even understand it." He sighed.

"Yeah. I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight, or if I even want to." She laid her head back onto her pillow and closed her eyes, exhaling.

"There will be plenty of those sleepless nights to come, Gail." Chris chuckled.

"Yeah." She laughed back. After a few minutes of silence, "Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't wait for those sleepless nights." She whispered, squeezing his hand a little bit.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Dad." He smiled at her choice of words and pulled the small blanket up over his body, closing his eyes and for the first time in a while, he fell asleep with nothing on his mind but how lucky he was. Something was finally looking up.


	7. Epilogue

Alright kids! Here's the epilogue. I hope you all enjoyed our little journey with Chris and Gail. Now, I'm taking suggestions for my next fic. Who would you like me to write for next?  
Thanks for all of your reviews!

* * *

Epilogue

"Chris! Watch her head." Gail called from the other side of her hospital room. It had been three weeks since the birth of their baby, Abby, and they were happy to finally be going home.

"Gail, I've got her." Chris laughed, nuzzling his nose lightly against Abby's, whose tiny body was wrapped delicately in a pink blanket. He held her and bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, shifting his weight back and forth in between his feet.

"Are you sure?" She asked, trying to get out of her wheelchair.

"Stop! Gail, stop. I have her; you need to stay in that chair." He warned her.

"Chris, I'm fine." She held up her hands.

"No! You have to stay off of your feet until your stomach heals up better. Doctor's orders." He turned his attention back to Abby.

"Chris, I'll be fine." She answered, a little irritated. "I can take care of myself."

"I know." He smiled at her. "That's not going to stop me from trying to take care of you too, though."

Gail sighed and piled a few blankets back on her lap, before wheeling over to Chris and Abby. "Fine." She whispered up at him as he bent down to kiss her. "Now let me hold my baby." She enunciated the last word carefully but quietly as Chris slowly lowered his own flesh and blood into the waiting hands of his fiancée.

Gail cradled the small infant in her arms, grinning like a fool, before finally laying her down in the nest she'd created on her lap. "Oh, I love her." She whispered.

"I can't wait to get her home." Chris lifted one of Abby's fingers with his own, marvelling at the sheer perfection of every curve and line of his daughter's body. "Wait…" He looked up at her. "Home…"

"Home?" She raised one eyebrow.

"The nursery still isn't finished." He winced, but she only laughed.

"She'll just have to sleep in our room then." She looked back down at Abby. "Are the doctors sure it's okay for her to come home now? She's technically not even supposed to be born yet."

"Don't worry." He assured her. "Between checkups, in house nurses and those machines to monitor her breathing and everything, I'm sure we'll be fine." He looked up at her, and curled her icy hair behind her ear. She smiled and leaned into his touch, before her soft expression morphed into an exaggerated yawn. "Get used to it, honey." Chris laughed, yawning himself.

"Like that will be possible." She grinned. "Well? Shall we?"

"Yeah, I guess." Chris answered hesitantly. That room had been their lives for the past three weeks, Gail hadn't left the hospital except for occasional trips to the garden outside and Chris hadn't left unless absolutely necessary; in the process, using up most of his vacation time for the next year and a half. "I'll go clear everything with Mel, then we can go. Frank is outside waiting, I think." He checked his text messages. "Yep. He's definitely out there."

"Alright. I'll be here." Gail smiled. Chris gave her one last kiss before straightening up and leaving the room. Swiftly, Gail extracted her newly charged cell phone out of her bag and dialled her Mom's number. "Hi, Mom, it's me again. Just wondering where you are, what you're doing, you know. The usual. Sorry I've been so pushy, but it's been three weeks and you haven't seen your Granddaughter yet. Not even Dad or Grandma has stopped by; I'm feeling a bit like you forgot about me." She laughed nervously. "I get it though, work. Keep saving the world Mommy, I'll see you sometime. Love you." She snapped her phone shut as Chris re-entered the room.

"Who was that?" He asked absentmindedly, gathering their bags and coats.

"Just checking messages." She smiled. He grinned up at her before walking around to the back of her chair and pushing her into the hallway.

"Chris! Give me those!" Melanie laughed, taking most of their bags and piling them onto a cart.

"Thanks." He chuckled gratefully, following her down the hall to the elevator. When they reached the lobby, Chris hugged Melanie tightly and smiled as Gail did the same, minding Abby, still in her lap.

"Is a regular car seat going to be okay? She's so small." Gail asked.

"Yes, as long as you make sure it's snug enough around her body." Melanie nodded.

"Thank you for _everything_." Chris smiled at her. "Expect Christmas cards."

"I can't wait." She patted his hand lightly. "Now go home! Get out of this God forsaken building. Be free!" She laughed as they slowly moved towards the exit, waving the whole way.

"Bye Mel!" Gail laughed as the doors closed behind her. She turned around and again, her face lit up as she saw Frank straighten up and walk towards them, his arms outstretched.

"Gail!" He called out, his tone light and playful.

"Frankie, old chap!" She spoke with an accent, grinning as he bent down to hug her gently.

"Frankie?" Chris raised an eyebrow.

"Diaz." Frank's face hardened as he stood and shook his hand. "Kidding, Chris. Good to see you." Chris let out a sigh of relief, chuckling. "And look at this little beauty!" He knelt down in front of Gail's chair. "Hello, darling." He gently ran the back of his index finger down the length of Abby's arm, smiling as she squirmed in response. "Gail." He said, amused. "Is she you?"

"Technically, a little bit." Gail grinned.

"No, I'm serious. She looks like someone stole a strand of your hair and grew her in a jar. You're identical." He said, very seriously.

"Did you _see _how fat I got? She was definitely not grown in a jar." Gail laughed.

"Ah, this is true. But you weren't fat, Gail. You had a bun in the oven." He chuckled, standing again. "Let's get you kids home!"

He helped Gail into the backseat and then stepped aside as Chris buckled Abby very carefully into her new car seat, before climbing into the front himself. Frank was careful to drive slowly and smoothly, not wanting any of the new parents to have a panic attack.

Eventually, they reached home, and Frank waited until they were settled and happy in their love nest before parting.

"You call me if you need anything, got it lady?" He told Gail, hugging her one more time from her place on the couch.

"You just watch, you're gonna regret that!" She laughed. He waved her off and turned to Chris.

"How does it feel to be a man, Diaz?" He straightened up tall and looked Chris in the eyes.

"I was always a man." Chris raised one eyebrow.

"How does it feel to be a man that's no longer just living for himself?" Frank altered, grinning knowingly.

"Terrifying." Chris answered honestly, nodding and exhaling with a smile on his face.

"It gets better." He held out his hand. "Good luck."

"Thanks, Frank." Chris smiled humbly, shaking his hand firmly.

"I expect you to be out for a few weeks, but we do need you back sooner than later." He regretted to say. "Works work, you know?"

"I get it, sir." Chris sighed.

"We'll keep in touch and figure it out, okay?" Frank offered sympathetically. "Now please, protect, and keep that woman of yours happy!" He laughed heartily, before waving goodbye and closing the door behind him.

"Wow." Chris sighed, collapsing onto the couch. "I can't believe it's over." He kissed her on the cheek.

"Oh honey." Gail patted his hand as Abby began screaming from their bedroom. "It's not over. It's not even close to over."


End file.
